


Tea and Hi-Chews

by The_Snarkivist



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Ianto Jones & Toshiko Sato Friendship, Platonic Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family, just assuming there's a well stocked Japanese store in Cardiff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26847286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Snarkivist/pseuds/The_Snarkivist
Summary: "Ianto had noticed that ever since Tosh had heard his thoughts from Mary’s amulet that she had been keeping a big sisterly eye on him. She somehow found out that the green apple Hi-Chew flavour was his favourite and he often found some on his desk in the archives when he was having a particularly hard day: missing Lisa, remembering the events at Brecon Beacons, or mostly,  being confused about what was going on with Jack. Ianto tried to reciprocate the acts of friendship by making Tosh her favourite sencha tea when she was sad. It made him so happy when she said that no one else in Cardiff knew how to make it properly.But it wasn’t until Jack had disappeared that Tosh stepped up her care operations."_______________How Ianto Jones and Toshiko Sato became best friends
Relationships: Ianto Jones & Toshiko Sato, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato
Comments: 4
Kudos: 76





	Tea and Hi-Chews

**Author's Note:**

> In my head canon Tosh and Ianto are bffs.

The first time Tosh brought Ianto to the roof for lunch neither of them said very much. It had been a few days after Jack disappeared. And, in fact, it had been the day that Tosh had studied the sound from the security footage in the Hub. She’d identified a strange screeching noise which a search on the dark web identified as the sound of the Doctor’s ship. 

Up until that moment they had all worried that Jack had been pulled into the Rift or some other mischief had befallen him. Ianto had barely slept and spent hours combing through the archives trying to figure out what might have happened so he could make a plan to rescue Jack. But finding out that it was the Doctor meant Jack hadn’t been taken. He had left. 

Ianto had noticed that ever since Tosh had heard his thoughts from Mary’s amulet that she had been keeping a big sisterly eye on him. She somehow found out that the green apple Hi-Chew flavour was his favourite and he often found some on his desk in the archives when he was having a particularly hard day: missing Lisa, remembering the events at Brecon Beacons, or mostly, being confused about what was going on with Jack. Ianto tried to reciprocate the acts of friendship by making Tosh her favourite sencha tea when she was sad. It made him so happy when she said that no one else in Cardiff knew how to make it properly. 

But it wasn’t until Jack had disappeared that Tosh stepped up her care operations. 

The first lunch on the roof had been awkward. Ianto couldn’t help but think about how the roof was Jack’s domain. He couldn’t see the vista of Cariff without picturing Jack standing with his blue-grey greatcoat flapping in the wind, surveying the city like he owned it. His heart clenched. 

Tosh hadn’t tried to push anything. She had handed him a delightful little rice cake wrapped in seaweed that she told him was called onigiri and they ate in silence. 

After that their lunches on the roof became a regular thing, depending on the Rift activity and how they both were feeling. 

Sometimes when Ianto noticed that Owen was being more obtuse than usual and willfully ignoring Tosh’s shy attempts to express interest he would stop by her desk on the way to the kitchen and say, “tea’s up in 5 minutes, lunch on the roof?” 

Other times when Ianto would process some artifacts in the archive that reminded him of Jack or have had a rough bout of nightmares the night before, Tosh would text him from the Hub above to say “I’ve got some emergency Hi-Chews with your name on them. Lunch in 15?” 

At first Tosh would smile sadly at Ianto and ask, “How are you doing? Really?” 

Ianto would study his shoes and say, “Oh, you know, I’m getting by. It’s been tough on all of us, more work to go around and all that.” 

He was relieved that she understood that he didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t exactly that he didn't want to talk about it. On some level he worried if he got started talking, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He didn’t want to put that one Tosh. 

One day Ianto was making coffee in the kitchen when he heard Owen and Gwen laughing loudly. He hoped this didn’t signal a resumption of their affair. They were adults, they could do whatever they wanted. But he could see how they had made Tosh incredibly sad and he felt bad for Rhys. 

“I can’t believe you’ve never watched a football match!” Owen was guffawing. “I keep hoping that anti-social computer nerd thing will be an act. And you secretly let loose and go wild on weekends.” 

“Oh, Owen, back off, yeah? I mean, I’m sure you do other fun things. Right? Tosh?” 

“I have to go… look something up… in the… bye.” Tosh scurried off. 

Ianto took a deep breath and finished up the coffees. 

“Coffee?” He said offering the tray to a still laughing Owen and a guilty looking Gwen. 

They both grabbed a mug. Gwen’s phone pinged and she stopped to check the message before she drank. Owen took a full swig of his coffee and immediately spat it out. 

“What the hell, tea boy!?!?” Owen growled.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Ianto deadpanned, “Must have put salt in by accident. Don’t know where my mind is these days.” 

“Very funny, asshole. I guess you’re too busy pathetically pining for Jack’s cock to make a proper cup of coffee.” 

Ianto just turned and walked out. 

“Bet he left because you were being too clingy!” Owen shouted after him. 

_“Lunch in an hour?”_ came a text from Tosh. 

***********

“I don’t understand why he’s always so mean to me.” Tosh sniffed into the handkerchief Ianto had handed her.

He repressed the urge to respond, “Because he’s an asshole, Tosh.” 

“You deserve to be treated nicely.” 

“I know. And honestly, I know that Owen is a grumpy ass quite a lot of the time. But you know every once and awhile the real Owen comes out. He can actually be quite sweet, you know? When he wants to be. I mean, he was desperately in love with his wife. She died because an alien lodged in her brain.” 

“I know. Terribly sad.” Ianto commented. 

“You know?” Tosh seemed surprised. 

“I know everything. But also, insomnia gives you a lot of time to read all the files in the archive.” 

“Oh, then you know about me, and how Jack rescued me from prison?” 

“Yes. But Tosh, I hid a cyberwoman in the basement of the Hub for months! That’s arguably worse than you building a weapon in exchange for your Mom’s safety. Torchwood Three has always been about second chances.” 

Tosh looked relieved. “Yes it has.” 

“But we were talking about Owen. It seems like you had more to say?” 

“It’s just that Owen can be really sweet. Sometimes when no one is looking he’s quite considerate. And I understand, he had a shitty relationship with his parents. I know it sounds like I’m making excuses for him. I don’t know, Ianto, I just really really like him. I tried to get over it. During the whole Mary thing… It was hard to hear what he thinks of me. But it didn’t stop me from liking him. It’s just… I know he could be a better person. I just wish he knew that.” 

“Tosh, maybe, and I know you think you’re being obvious. But maybe he doesn’t know you’re into him? Maybe he would be nicer if he knew? Have you thought of telling him?” 

“Oh! That seems too scary.” 

“I get that. But also, you are awesome, smart, super nice. If Owen can’t see that, he doesn’t deserve you.” 

“Thanks.” Tosh said as she blew her nose. 

They sat in silence for a few moments and ate their onigiri. 

“But Ianto, how about you? I know you miss Jack. Do you want to talk about it?” 

Ianto looked at Tosh's kind face. She'd been so open with him about Owen. 

"I do miss him. I miss him a lot. And it isn't just the sex. I mean, I miss that too, those 51st century pheromones… At first, it was just easier for it to just be a sex thing, less scary. But, it was starting to be more than that for me. We’d spend so much time lying in his bunker after… just talking and I found myself telling him things I’ve never told anyone. He’s a really good listener. And he’s so kind and generous. I mean, with everyone. And I really thought we were going somewhere. He’s never going to be monogamous. I’m okay with that. But he made me feel special. Like I was something special because he could have anyone and he chose me.” 

Tosh nodded sympathetically. Ianto looked for judgement in her eyes or a flicker of embarrassment at how pathetic he sounded. He found neither. 

“And maybe we’re not a couple, but we are, I mean we were, a something. You know? And when he died, or when he died multiple times when we opened the Rift, I couldn’t breathe. I just felt waves of panic and grief. And I knew. I knew that I definitely have feelings for him. And I might even love him.” 

“He really cares about you too.” 

“Maybe? But Jack doesn’t do feelings, he doesn’t do love. At least not with me. And now he’s off with his beloved Doctor. I bet they are having who knows what adventures. I couldn’t have meant that much to him. How can I compete with a man with a spaceship? 

"But can the Doctor make coffee like you can?” 

Ianto smiled. 

“Ianto, *you* are super awesome and sweet and really great. If he can’t see that, he doesn’t deserve you.” 

“Look at the pair of us,” Ianto laughed, “two amazing, devastatingly sexy youngish people who are awesome. And we’re moping over guys for not treating us right.”

“Right?” Tosh replied. “I say screw ‘em! We’re awesome on our own. Just two super cool best friends hanging out on a roof. We don’t need them.” 

“You know it! In fact, I have an idea.” Ianto sat up and pulled Tosh over to the ledge. “Let’s tell those guys where they can go!” 

Ianto dropped her hand and took a deep breathe and yelled, “FUCK YOU JACK HARKNESS!” 

Tosh giggled and stepped beside, him took a deep breath and yelled, “FUCK YOU OWEN HARPER!” 

It felt liberating. They both collapsed into laughter and sat with their backs against the ledge of the roof. 

“I feel so much better.” 

“Me too!” 

“I still really love him.” Ianto admitted.

“Me too. But it’s good to remember that we’re great too.” 

“Tosh?” 

“Yes.” 

“Did you mean it when you said best friends?” 

Tosh looked at him warily, afraid a taunt was coming. 

“I did…” she said quietly. 

Ianto beamed. “Yes! I think so too. Best friends forever?” 

“Best friends forever!” Tosh replied. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
